This is the first part of an ongoing project which follows a patch of land through the ages. Each model shows typical buildings of the time.

Set at around 1300, this first diorama shows a small village located near a monastry and a castle.

The castle with its draw bridge is located on top of a small mountain, overlooking land and sea. It has recently replaced a much older wooden fortification.

Getting from the castle to the village below is quite tedious and even experienced climbers cannot do it when carrying a load.

A small tree grows on the steep cliff. Its history is quite interesting in itself, but cannot be told here in full - miraculously saving the earl's heir from a fall that might have meant sure death, prompting the earl to fund a monastry.

The monastry is modelled after plans of actual monastries of the time. On the right, there is an ancient stone grave, considered heathen, but not torn down by the monks for fear of the local's superstitious belief in its magical powers. The surrounding fields were part of the forrest a mere hundred years ago.

The shore forms a natural port that is used by the local fishermen. In mill by the side of the river the villagers process wheat and rye.

The village itself consists at this time of a dozen or so houses scattered along the old road that led to the port. The big barn on the right is owned jointly by the villagers, who were originally assigned as peasants of the monastry, but who - during a conflict between the prior and the earl - managed to gain their independence with some clever moves.